HONOUR: Ramzan receiving an appreciation from Lt Col Abdullah Khalifa al-Miftah, Director, Public Relation Department, Ministry of Interior-Qatar on National Day award ceremony. Right: Ramzan receiving an appreciation from RAF chairman Aaiz al-Qahtani.
Nepalese expat Mohammed Ramzan Ali Miya came to Qatar to pursue his interest in Arabic language. And translation services gave him the perfect opportunity to serve his community. By Usha Wagle Gautam
Prof Mohammed Ramzan Ali Miya is passionate about the Arabic language. And in his eagerness to pursue his interest, he came to Qatar and found a particular attachment with this land and the Nepalese community here. Now, he has been involved in the service of Nepalese people with his translation and other philanthropic activities.
Ramzan wanted to achieve something in life. And he was optimistic to get it with his highest level of efforts in academics. Finally, he could manage to overcome his humble financial state with his own determination for the acquisition of knowledge.
Upon his completion of Masters in Islamic Studies & Arabic Literature in 2003 from Pakistan, Ramzan explored many options. Then, he thought of going back to Nepal and pursue his interest in Arab literature. When he returned to Nepal, the Maoist insurgency was at its peak. The social and political environment was not favourable. Still, along with his few like-minded friends, he established Alharamain Educational Society of Nepal. He taught there for a few years.
When he got an opportunity to attend a conference in Bahrain in 2006, he left the country. While attending the conference, he landed a job there. He wanted to put into practice all his educational achievements.
“My career pathway was still unclear and uncertain. I therefore needed to take a bold decision. I came to Qatar, because it is an Islamic country with Arabic language at its heart,” Ramzan says. Now 34, Ramzan, however, had begun to show his brilliance right from the very beginning of his school days. Now, he is undergoing his thesis for PhD in the University of Karachi.
During his stay in Pakistan, he wrote many articles. At the student level, he had managed to publish 15 books on subjects related to Islam, Arab literature and Nepalese community. For him, everything -- the content, knowledge, beliefs, skills, during his academic pursuits in Pakistan were highly insightful and resourceful. After coming to Qatar, Ramzan found a job at the Embassy of Nepal as a Secretary to Acting Ambassador. It was simply done keeping the transition period in his mind. Slowly and gradually, after his one year stay, he extended himself to the relationship with public and high level officials. Then, he started with translation, translating the documents of Arabic language to Nepali in Qatar.
His quality of work gave him a wider recognition among the Nepalese community. Every Nepali who faced language problem would approach him. He translated, interpreted and transcribed to facilitate communication between two languages and build a bridge between Nepalese and Arabic. The government of Qatar assigned him several tasks of translation.
Those translation materials included the labour law of Qatar, human rights subject matter and worker guide. He co-ordinated with the Ministry of Interior in Qatar to solve many legal issues. “I feel I got everything I wanted. The environment of Qatar honed my skills,” Ramzan says. Apart from translation, he is an expert adviser to Nepalese community in Qatar. On weekly basis, he publishes the translation of Nepali words to Arabic in the famous weekly newspaper -- Kantipur and Rajdhani -- to enhance familiarity about the Arabic language.
He was also awarded by Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Al Thani Humanitarian Foundation services as the First Nepalese National for Excellent & Glorious Services for the community. As he sought professional distinction, he understood social service as a way to keep the goodwill and work for social transformation.
He says, “In a brief exchange with some philanthropists I met at my earliest visit to Bahrain, I knew what value social service has. They have left an indelible mark inside me.”
Ramzan says he has fulfilled his responsibility for his fellow citizens. He supports the consciousness-raising programmes related to traffic rules, human rights and workers duty including the cultural values of Qatar that each expatriate need to know. He represents thousands of Nepalese expatriates as their representative and co-ordinates on several issues with the government of Qatar.
